Berkeley Chess School

The Berkeley Chess School offers after school classes, camps, Friday Night Chess for K–12 students, weekly chess tournaments during the academic school year, and camp programs. The program also offers Sunday Morning Chess for Youngsters Spring 2026, the Berkeley Bishops program, a BCS All Girls Chess Class (Queens), an all-girls tournament, scholastic tournaments, BCS K-12 Quads, monthly BCS Cash Quads, and other tournaments. Additional activities include an Outreach Program, Adult Chess, Adult Tournaments, Adult Chess Classes, the BCS Women’s Chess Club, and special events such as An Evening with IM John Donaldson.

• Ages: 5–18 years old
• Schedule: Friday Night Chess classes for K–12 students are 60 minutes from 5:30–6:30 p.m., followed by an optional USCF rated tournament from 6:30–7:30 p.m.; the BCS Women’s Chess Club meets 1–3 p.m. on the 2nd and 4th Sundays of the month; BCS K-12 Quads run from June 27 at 1:00 p.m. to September 26 at 3:30 p.m.
• Price: Sign up by the midnight of the Sunday before the first Friday Night Chess class to qualify for Early Bird (reduced) tuition.

Since 1982, the Berkeley Chess School has enriched the lives of thousands of Bay Area children. Its chess programs are for beginning, intermediate, and advanced students of all ages. The stated mission is to teach all children and to try to produce better citizens.

The Berkeley Chess School offers chess instruction to K–12 students in over 150 schools throughout the Bay Area and facilitates its students’ participation in annual statewide competitions. Weekly competitions draw more than 200 players, and over 500 competitors take part in tournaments. Up to 80 Berkeley Chess School students attend a statewide competition that attracts over 1,500 competitors. Tournaments include an all-girls tournament, and the BCS Women’s Chess Club meets for drop-in, casual games and is free. An Evening with IM John Donaldson is a free event.

The Berkeley Chess School has been named Best After-School Program in the East Bay according to Diablo Magazine. One parent reported that after signing two older boys up for one week of chess camp, a 6-year-old sibling who was expected to stay only briefly ended up staying all day and then the whole week, and later the children asked for two weeks of chess camp instead of one. Another parent stated that their son and his cousin walked away with skills they can use for a lifetime. A third parent shared that their daughter had a great time at a tournament, came home more excited and determined about playing chess, and that the event would remain with each child for the rest of their lives.

Last updated June 14, 2026.